This invention relates to a tool for dynamically disabling an explosive device, such as an improvised explosive device (IED) or a weapon of mass destruction (WMD). Emergency response personnel and bomb technicians often use energetic tools to disable such devices. One class of tools for such applications uses high explosive to accelerate water contained in a plastic container that impacts and disrupts an IED over a broad area. Another class of tools uses high explosive in the shape of a chevron to accelerate a focused blade of water to disrupt the IED. Prior art devices of both types generate high-speed plastic or fluid fragments that can impact the target IED prior to the impact of the main water projectile, thereby creating localized areas of high pressure on the target surface. This can produce unintended detonation of the IED.
Cherry (U.S. Pat. No. 6,269,725) concerns an apparatus and method for disarming improvised bombs. The apparatus comprises a fluid-filled bottle or container made of plastic or another soft material which contains a fixed or adjustable charge, preferably sheet explosive. The charge is fired centrally at its apex and can be adjusted to propel a fluid projectile that is broad or narrow, depending upon how it is set up. Common materials such as plastic water bottles or larger containers can be used, with the sheet explosive or other explosive material configured in a general chevron-shape to target the projectile toward the target.
Alford (U.S. Pat. No. 6,584,908) concerns a device for the disruption of explosive objects. The device of this patent for generating a liquid jet comprises an enclosure containing a plurality of formers, each defining a cavity and each supporting an explosive charge, and a filler material adjacent to the charge within the cavity, the filler material being a liquid, a gel, or a nonmetallic solid that will liquefy upon detonation. A single-former device is described in a UK application of Alford (GB 2292445).